The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-06-16
CHILDREN OF NATURE.
sketches Taken In the Camp Of the
Digger Indians.

sketches Taken in the Camp Of the
Digger Indians.
Few people know that the Diggers.
who live in Pleasant Valley. and are
known as the Pamblos. have musical
man among them. This Digger is
known as Bob. He is really good per-
former on the guitar. flute. fife, violin.
organ, and harmonica He has played
for several ''paleface' dances. and
handles violin like master.
He is pure blooded Digger. and. SO
far as he knows. none of his ancestors
were unsteady inclined.
The tribe also boasts of having
centenarian, an old squaw, whose hair
is white as snow. whose daughter is Is
years old, aud whose only English
ejaculation is "Gimme two bits.
Capt. Pamblos is a short, wiry old
fellow. He is about so years of age,
and is ono of the most inveterate hun
tiers in the country. His unerring aim
has laid down many jackass rabbit,
and humbled to the dust many proud
woodpecker. The reason is this ::
Whenever they had dance, or, as they
call it, "a big soup" they rig them
selves as Enthusiastically as possible.
Every buck who wishes to dance must
buy ticket, paying for it in good solid
American silver.
AS ticket the scalp of the wood
pecker recommends itself. 1t is gaudy
and conspicuous. The tail feathers of
the yellow hammer are also used for
the same purpose. two feathers being
fastened to little stick which is worn
in the hair or carried in the hand.
These "big soups are frequent. A
A Digger will work hard for week or
two when the acorns are ripe and lay
in supply of them for winter. Then
he will notify some other tribe, and all
his relations back to the tenth genera
ton will come to see him and help him
devour the whole lot. Then they invite
the family of the host to their 'scam-
pooda," and SO the visiting and ''big
souplng" goes on till all the relations
have visited each other and there are
no more acorns to devour.
The Digger is child of nature, and
he cares little for the fashionable follies
of the world. Some of them are noted
for their wicked ways, and one of the
Pamblos, a hard case known as Scar
Face Dick" or Dick Tomale. has been
a holy terror among his people for
many years. Several efforts have been
made to kill him and his tribe and the
Nevada City Indians, but all have failed.
He is the most intelligent Digger of
them all, and will discuss any subject.
not ignoring religious matters. But
his favorite topic is spiritualism. His
arguments are often full of dry, sar-
castle humor. This dry humor is a
part of the average Digger's disposi-
ton. Capt Pamblos was once passing
house where a young lady was sing
ing vigorously. He paused and listened.
Then turning to a boy who was play
ing near he said, gravely: "Why for
she ely % Dick Tomale once listened
gravely to several young men and
women who were discussing ghosts.
At last he interrupted them, and in his
drawing way said: ''Ya-as, believe in
ghosts, too. met ghost one night,
1 wasn't exactly full, but l had some
wine. It was dark, and saw big.
white ghost get up out of the ground
and stand in front of me. l hauled off
and hit him with my fist. you bet"
WELL, said listener" what was
it ?"
Dick looked around mysteriously,
picked up his rife, spat at fly on his
sleeve, and as he moved off with a
light and cunning air, said in loud
whisper 1T was rock. ''-Nevada
City Herald.